


Relativity

by fireflysglow_archivist



Category: Firefly
Genre: Bandits & Outlaws
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-07-31
Updated: 2005-07-31
Packaged: 2019-04-29 07:07:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,331
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14467542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fireflysglow_archivist/pseuds/fireflysglow_archivist
Summary: When Mal and crew get an unwanted partner in crime, some things don't go as planned.





	Relativity

**Author's Note:**

> Note from alice ttlg, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Firefly’s Glow](https://fanlore.org/wiki/Firefly%27s_Glow), and was moved to the AO3 as part of the Open Doors project in 2018. I tried to reach out to all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are the creator and would like to claim this work, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Firefly's Glow collection profile](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/fireflysglow/profile).
> 
>  **Author's notes:** Rated PG-13 for mild violence and language.

  
Author's notes: Rated PG-13 for mild violence and language.  


* * *

Relativity

## Relativity

Relativity 

* * *

_Acknowledgements and Scapegoats_

Thank you to Joss Whedon for creating the magnificent stroke of creative genius that is Firefly, and thank you to the cast and crew for making it come alive for all of us Browncoats. Next, thank you to my cousin, Katrina, for all her support and proofreading. Her creative input and edits were invaluable. This story is also her fault. She was the one that made me put my ideas onto an actual typed document. This is not my fault, I only supplied the ideas and wrote the gorram thing. But actually, I couldn't have written this without my cousin. A big thank you to my cousin, my favorite Browncoat, for helping me with every line of this story. She helped me perfect the story, caught my stupid typos, and gave me more encouragement than anyone could ever know what to do with. Thank you, Trina. 

* * *

Feedback is always apprectiated, folks, good or bad. Thanks a bunch for reading my story! 

* * *

"Or I coul' jus' no' give the job to you, 'ow's tha'?" Badger stood up from his desk as he said the words. 

Mal rubbed his eye roughly with the palm of his hand. He needed this confrontation like he needed a hole in the head. Serenity's last job from Badger didn't go . . . quite as planned. "Badger, I understand our business isn't always smooth, but we need this job." The Captain's voice was not one of patience. 

Badger let out a mocking laugh. As much as he liked to see Malcolm Reynolds begging for a job, he didn't want his latest cargo getting screwed up in some predicament that was bound to happen on the good ship Serenity. "Righ'. I'm jus' supposed to trus' you with new ca'go? No' likely." 

Mal threw a glance behind him to Zoe, Jayne keeping his eyes on Badger from behind Mal. Mal looked back at Badger. "So what'll it take to get the job?" 

Badger had opened his mouth to answer when - "BADGER!" The voice sounded like it belonged to a female, and indeed it did. A girl looking to be about seventeen stalked into Badger's office, walking straight past Mal, Zoe, and Jayne so she could be at Badger's desk. She stopped in front of his desk and brought her hands down on it hard, producing a loud smack. The girl and Badger stood eye-to-eye now, being that they were about the same height. The girl may have even been a bit taller if they were both standing up completely straight. The girl was not too exquisitely dressed - in fact, she looked like she had thrown her outfit together with whatever she could find. Which wasn't exactly false, in any case. Too-big brown pants with a black belt holding them up adorned her lower half, the bottoms of the pants falling loosely over black combat boots. Her upper half was covered with a large white shirt. A huge black coat covered her upper half and hung down to about her knees, the coat open in the front. A brown strap was visible going diagonally across her chest if you looked at her from the front, though from another angle you could tell it was a strap that held a brown bag to her back. Auburn hair was tied loosely with a string at the nape of the girl's neck, and her dark green eyes looked impatient. "I need funds for repairs." 

Badger looked at the girl before laughing. "Repairs? For wha'?" 

The girl stood straight and crossed her arms. "For my pet duck," she retorted sarcastically. "Take a wild guess." 

"And why shoul' I give you fun's?" Badger shot right back, staring at the girl. 

"Consider it pay in advance for my next job?" the girl asked with a sarcastic smile and a thumbs-up. 

"No' a chance, Joey," Badger said with a thumbs-down. 

"Badger, would you stop being a penny-pincher and just lend me some money?" the girl asked, eyes flashing with irritation as she looked at Badger. 

Badger came around the desk and put his hand on her shoulder, turning her around to face Mal, Zoe, and Jayne, who were all looking downright confused. "Jo, this's the crew of Seren'ty. Cap'n Malcolm Reynol's, this is Jo, ma' niece." 

Mal's eyes went just about the size of golf balls. 

Jo looked at the three crew members, a smirk slowly spreading over her lips. "This is that crew that always screws with your jobs, isn't it?" 

Badger looked at the crew then at Jo. "Tha's them." Badger smirked as if an idea had just wriggled its way inside his ear and into his devious brain. "Wha' if you went with them for a job?" Jo, Mal, Zoe, and Jayne all looked at Badger as if he was a complete lunatic. 

But Jo was the one to actually voice the opinion. "Are you crazy?" She stepped back from Badger so she could put her hands indignantly on her hips. "I don't need a babysitter, Badger, I just need some money to fix my gorram ship!" 

"And since you aren' gettin' money, I sugges' you do wha' your uncle says," Badger responded, looking at Jo. 

"Does this mean we get the job?" Mal asked, eyebrows going up. 

Jo and Badger completely ignored Mal, Jo going ahead and saying, "What, you don't trust me with my own jobs anymore?" 

"I's no' like they're babysi'in' you . . . In fac', i' may be more 'bout you babysi'in them." Mal sent Badger a glare when Badger was looking at Jo. 

Jo crossed her arms. "Even if we both got a cut, it wouldn't be that big a cut." 

"I 'an give you a big job," Badger said, crossing his arms in somewhat of a mocking fashion as he looked at Jo. 

Jo and Mal exchanged a glance before Jo looked at Badger. "And this is the last time you make me work with someone?" Badger gave her a look that said his answer. "At least for a while?" Jo asked exasperatedly. 

Badger thought a moment. "Jus' 'til your ship ge's busted ag'in." 

Jo looked rather pissed about this, but she didn't protest. As of now, her ship was broken, and no ship meant no jobs. She sighed. "I'll agree if Reynolds agrees," she said grudgingly. 

Badger looked over at Mal with a waiting look. Mal looked at Zoe and Jayne. Jayne looked very apprehensive, while Zoe was eyeing Jo warily. Mal looked at Badger. "As long as we get the job." 

Badger nodded. "Good." Badger went over around his desk and looked back at the four to tell them the job. He told them about coordinates to a planet with a new settlement on it. "I jus' go' word tha' a settlemen' was 'it by bandits. The settlemen' was new, so there shoul' be some valuable ca'go lef' from the se'lers. You people need to go an' ge' the good stuff, go' it?" Mal and Jo nodded. 

"You're a douche, Uncle Badger," Jo said before walking out of the den. Mal followed, Zoe and Jayne following. 

"Have fun," called Badger tauntingly after the four. He chuckled to himself as he sat down. 

* * *

The four exited the den, Mal and Jo walking ahead of Zoe and Jayne. Jo and Mal had quite a few feet between them as if they didn't want to walk too close to each other. The four of them walked silently before Jo spoke up. "The feeling's mutual." 

Mal glanced over at her. "What feeling?" 

"I don't want to go, and you don't want me to go. I feel that we should put that right up front." 

Mal had to admit she was right: neither of them liked the idea of working together. Mal jerked a thumb over his shoulder. "This is my first mate Zoe, and that's Jayne." 

Jo glanced back at Zoe and Jayne. She looked at Jayne. "What do you do?" 

"Shoot little girls," Jayne said with one of his ugly lopsided smiles. 

Jo looked him over. "But you don't have any bullet holes in you . . ." 

Jayne was silent a moment until the insult sunk in. "Why you little - !" His hands reached toward Jo's throat, Jo dodging so she was on the other side of Mal. 

Mal held his hand out to Jayne and threw a look at Jo. "Both of you, behave," he scolded as Jo and Jayne threw death glares at each other. Mal nodded ahead of them. "There's the ship, Jo," he said wearily. 

Jo looked ahead, eyebrows going up when she caught sight of Serenity. "Firefly class transport. Impressive." Jo was about to walk right on up to the ship, but she stopped with a yelp when Mal grabbed the back of her bag and pulled her backwards. Jo stumbled and stepped away from him. "What in the 'verse - ?" 

"Yeah, I'll need to know all the weapons you carry," Mal said, crossing his arms as he looked at Jo. 

Jo looked indignant as she crossed her arms. "Why should I show you my weapons?" 

"Because it's my ship you're about to come on," Mal answered, giving Jo a stern look. The two were engaged in an incensed staring match before Jo let out an exasperated groan. 

The girl took her bag off and set it on the ground, taking a revolver out from inside her coat. She held it up for Mal to see. Mal gave her a look. Jo sighed and reached in her coat again, pulling out an auto pistol. She held it up as well for Mal to see. Another look from Mal. Jo glared at the Captain and transferred both guns to one hand. She reached down in her boot and pulled out a dagger, holding up the three weapons for Mal to see. Mal gave her one more look. Jo gave him a look right back. "Look, pal, unless you consider an encyclopedia a weapon, I suggest you back off." She looked at Mal before putting her weapons back in their rightful places and slinging her bag over her shoulder. 

Mal shook his head as he walked toward the ship, the other three following. 

* * *

Mal pressed the button on the com as the four entered the cargo bay. "Will the crew please come to the cargo bay for a . . . meeting?" After a small amount of time, the crew filed into the cargo bay, looking profoundly perplexed. 

Mal crossed his arms as he stood next to Jo, facing the crew. Zoe and Jayne stood off to one side. The other six crew members threw curious glances at Jo and at each other. Mal heaved a small sigh. "Guys, this is Jo. She'll be accompanying us on this job. She's . . ." He glanced over at Jo, who gave him a look. Mal looked back at the crew. "She's Badger's niece." 

By giving a delighted laugh, Kaylee broke the silence that had fallen over the crowd. She went over to Jo, taking her hand and shaking it vigorously. "Hi!" she said, a big grin covering the mechanic's face. "My name's Kaylee! I'm the mechanic!" 

Jo looked rather taken aback, and her eyes were just a tad widened. "Um, I'm Jo," she said slowly, arm still pumping up and down from Kaylee's handshake. 

Kaylee's grin, if possible, got wider. She wrapped an arm around Jo's shoulders, turning her to face the rest of the crew. "That's Simon," she said, pointing to Simon. "He's the ship's doctor." 

Simon stood in his spiffy attire and looked Jo over, a frown set heavily on his face. "Hello," he said cautiously. Jo inclined her head the slightest bit at the doctor before Kaylee pivoted her toward another crew member. 

Kaylee pointed to the next crew member and introduced, "This is Wash. He's the pilot." 

Wash's mouth was hanging open as he looked at Jo. "Wait, wait. You're Badger's . . . niece? Niece as in . . . relative?" 

Jo quirked an eyebrow at Wash. "No, the other kind of niece," she replied, words lined with sarcasm. 

"Ah," Wash said, nodding slowly. Kaylee turned Jo toward another crew member. 

"This is Book, he's a Shepherd," said Kaylee, that big ol' grin still rooted firmly to her face. 

Book, in his Shepherdly ways, took one hand off the book he held and extended the hand to Jo. Jo, not wanting to offend the Shepherd, shook his hand in return. Book gave a small smile. "Nice to have you with us," he said. 

Kaylee pointed to the next victim of her introductions. "This is Inara. She's a Companion." 

"Are you?" asked Jo, eyebrows going up as she looked at Inara. 

Inara gave a motherly smile as she extended her hand, Jo giving her a handshake. Bracelets jangled on Inara's arm as her arm moved up and down in the handshake. "Yes, I am," answered Inara. 

Kaylee turned Jo toward the last member of the crew. "And this is River. She's Simon's sister," she explained. 

River looked at Jo with her head slightly tilted, hands clasped behind her back. Jo lifted a hand slightly and waved a bit, shifting the bag on her shoulders. The girl called River looked about her own age, even if she was a bit distant. 

"I think that's enough with the 'hello's," Mal cut in. "Simon, River, why don't you show Jo to the passenger quarters?" 

Simon glanced at Mal before nodding. He motioned to Jo to follow him, walking off toward the passenger quarters. Jo followed, walking next to River. 

Mal looked at the remaining crew. "Maybe we should take this time to talk about Jo while she's not around?" 

* * *

Simon opened the door to a compartment and motioned inside of it. "And this will be your humble abode while you stay here." He looked over at Jo suspiciously. "That okay?" 

Jo returned with her own suspicious look over at Simon. "It's fine with me," she said. 

"Okay then," said Simon with a small sigh. He looked back at River, who was standing and watching the two. "Do you want to stay and help Jo get settled, River?" River nodded silently. "Well, I'll leave you to get unpacked," Simon told Jo, looking at the one brown bag that was slung over her shoulder. He nodded once before heading off to find the rest of the crew. 

Jo watched Simon go before blinking, shaking her head lightly as she walked into her compartment. River followed and took a seat on the bed, crossing her legs and placing her hands on her bare feet as she watched Jo set her bag down. Jo turned and looked at River. "Um," she said, looking around the room as if conversation was going to pop out of the walls. 

"Badger's your uncle," River said. Jo looked at her, glad that she wouldn't have to think up a topic. 

"Yes, he is," she answered. 

"Your mother's brother?" River asked, tilting her head slightly. Her eyes had a glazed looked about them as they scanned Jo. 

Jo frowned, looking at River. "Um, yes . . . But how did you know that?" she asked slowly, sitting down on the opposite side of the room as she kept her eyes on River. It could have just been a lucky guess . . . but then why did River seem so sure of her guess? 

"Parents killed by explosions," River went on as if Jo hadn't asked anything. 

Jo's back arched. This was starting to get a little freaky. "Um . . . Yes . . . Yes, they were . . ." She stood up, not wanting to stay sitting anymore. "Um, River, I have to unpack. Maybe you could go find your brother or something," she suggested with a nervous chuckle. 

"Okay," River said, standing up from the bed and gliding out of the room. "Bye," she called before heading up toward the dining room. 

* * *

Simon took his seat in the dining room after he left River and Jo alone. He looked around at all the faces, some looking anxious, others looking downright annoyed. Mal stood at the head of the table, arms crossed. He looked at Simon with a questioning look. "She's in the room next to mine," Simon responded to the unasked question. "River's down there with her." 

Mal nodded. "Right then. So now we have Badger's niece as an unwanted partner in crime. Any ideas?" 

Kaylee looked troubled at the way Mal had put that. "Well, it's not like she's a threat or anything . . ." She looked around. "R-right?" 

"She doesn't seem like the kind of person who would hurt for no reason," Book said in all of his infinite Shepherd wisdom. Kaylee nodded vigorously in agreement. 

"A relative of Badger that doesn't like to hurt for fun? I find that hard to grasp," Simon retorted. 

"But that's a point," Inara voiced. "She's a relative of Badger. Don't you think she could put in a good word for us if we don't treat her like dirt?" 

Zoe responded, "Would Badger listen?" Mal gave a cynical laugh. Zoe went on. "She may be Badger's niece, but Badger still hates us. I don't think anything she could say would change his feeling on us." 

Kaylee again looked troubled. "But if we're mean at her, she could tell Badger," she reasoned. 

"You know what I say?" Jayne cut in gruffly. "I say we dump her on a planet and tell Badger that Reavers got 'er." 

"Ohh," Wash said in an exaggerated contemplative voice. "Would that be moral? We should actually give her to Reavers!" 

"I-if that's what y'all want to do . . ." said Jayne, sounding unsure. 

"Suuure!" Wash responded. "Then we wouldn't have to lie to Badger!" Wash would have gone on with the patronizing of the oblivious Jayne, but Zoe was giving Wash one of her patented looks. In all the bickering, no one had noticed River glide in, the girl now listening in on the conversation. 

Mal crossed his arms. "We have to take her with us. Badger will hate us even more if we lose his niece." The captain's voice was weighed down by irritation. 

River's voice cut in. "Gotta protect her." Heads turned in her direction. "She's like us. All of us. Parents were independent, she's independent. Fire took parents away. No one left except Uncle Badger. People out to get her. Can't trust anyone." River looked over at Simon, a small smile on her face. "Just like us. Gotta protect her." 

Silence settled over the nine members of the crew, Simon looking at River with his mouth slightly open. 

Mal looked at River as well. "We should all get some sleep. We have a big job to get done," he said finally. Jayne and Book headed off to their rooms, Inara going off toward her shuttle. Kaylee walked off with Wash, Kaylee going into her bunk as Wash headed to the bridge. Simon accompanied his sister off toward their rooms, River seeming as wistful as she always did while Simon was quietly thoughtful. Mal and Zoe exchanged a glance before following Wash to the bridge. 

* * *

As Simon and River walked, Simon looked over at his little sister. "Mei-mei, I know you trust Jo," he started carefully, "but we still have to be careful . . ." 

River frowned over at her big brother. "Not a bad person. Won't tell on us." 

"River, she's Badger's niece. Don't you remember how Badger threatened to turn us in? How do we know Jo won't do the same?" 

"Not Badger. Jo. Not the same," protested River with an earnest look over at Simon. 

Simon sighed. He knew that River was a stubborn girl, and he could tell her thoughts were set and weren't going to change. "Still, let's just not mention our . . . situation, okay? We should just wait it out, see who this girl is." 

"Jo's good. Won't tell," River insisted. 

Simon held up a hand gently. "River, let's just wait a while before we tell her, okay?" 

River frowned at Simon. "Just a while. Tell her later?" 

Simon nodded. "Sure, we could tell her later," he said reluctantly, though he had absolutely no intention of telling Jo about River. 

River nodded with a small smile. "Night," she said before heading off toward her room. 

Simon shook his head and rubbed his temples as he went toward his room as well. 

* * *

Wash took his place at the pilot seat and checked everything to make sure it was running smoothly as it so often did not on Serenity. After he did so, he left the ship on auto and pivoted his chair around. He watched Mal and Zoe come in, Mal taking a seat in the co-pilot chair. Zoe walked behind Wash and put her arms loosely around his neck from behind. Wash rubbed his wife's arm, looking at Mal and Zoe's troubled looks. "Care to share with the class?" he asked the two after a few moments of silence. 

Mal looked at Zoe. "I knew she looked familiar." 

Zoe nodded. "Just couldn't place her, sir," she agreed. 

Wash looked even more behind than before. "Place who where?" he asked, looking back and forth between the captain and the first mate. 

"Remember what River said?" Zoe asked Wash. 

Wash's eyebrows went up. "Which part?" 

"When she talked about Jo's parents?" 

A questioning face covered Wash's facial features. "About them being independent and dying by fire or something?" 

"They fought in the battle of Serenity Valley," Mal explained. Wash looked at him in utter bewilderment. "Yeah. Alongside us . . ." He hesitated. "Grenades killed them both . . . She must have gone to live with Badger when she was about seven, when her parents entered the war." 

"I'm willing to bet that's how she fell into the smuggling gig," Zoe offered. Wash nodded in agreement. 

"Probably," agreed Mal. "Badger's never around because he's running a business." He thought a moment, trying to sort the timeline out. "So she would have been about eleven when her parents died." 

"When do you think she started doing jobs for Badger?" Zoe asked. 

"Soon as she was mature enough to drive a ship," answered Mal. 

"So she's been with Badger since she was seven?" Wash inquired. Mal nodded. Wash let out a low whistle. "Poor girl," he said, turning back to the ship's controls so he could occupy himself. 

"You think that means the popular theory's correct?" asked Zoe. 

Mal gave Zoe a questioning look. "Which theory?" 

"What Simon said," Zoe answered. "About her being like Badger? I mean, if the girl's been around him for so long . . ." 

Mal sighed softly. "A little early to tell. People aren't always the same as those that raised them." He stood. "I think I'll turn in for the night." 

Zoe nodded. "I like that idea." She kissed the top of Wash's head. "Coming?" 

Wash shook his head. "Nah, I'm not really tired. You go ahead, I'll be down in a while." 

Zoe nodded, exchanging a smile with Wash before walking off with Mal. Once they were down the hall, Zoe looked at Mal. "Do you think Jo knows?" 

Mal looked at his first mate. "Knows about what?" 

"About why her parents left, how they died, what they were fighting for when they died?" 

Mal shook his head. "I dunno. Why? Think we should tell her?" 

"Up to you, sir," Zoe returned before bidding farewell and going off to her and Wash's room. 

Mal thought about this as he descended into his own room. 

Everyone on the ship was soon asleep. 

* * *

"Whoo!" 

Three figures looked up at a male's voice shouting with glee. Zoe and Mal looked over at their companion, the other woman giving a little smirk and a shrug. The woman brushed some auburn hair from her brown eyes, resting her arms loosely over the gun in her lap again. "Wha' can I say, 'e 'as fun." Just one more soldier now under Mal's command, Josephine was one of the few women he knew besides Zoe that would be willing to go on the dangerous missions. However, as Mal knew well, the best way to get her upset was to use her given name: she was known only as Josie on the battlefield. 

A man ducked into their foxhole, a very large grin on his face as he flopped himself into a sitting position near Josie. The man kept his grin as he ran a hand through black hair, his dark green eyes flashing with adrenaline. He let out a deep exhale and smiled over at Josie. "Hi, honey," he said. 

Josie smiled. "'Aving fun?" she asked as she looked over at Leo. 

Leo leaned over and gave his wife a kiss, Josie smiling and kissing his cheek in turn. "Of course I'm having fun, Josephine," answered Leo, leaning his back against the wall of the foxhole again. 

Mal smirked. "You two make me sick," he joked as he shook his head. Of course, both Mal and Zoe knew Leo would be the only one to whom that rule wouldn't apply. 

Leo smirked. "You're just jealous, Mal." A thought seemed to strike Leo, and he looked over at Josie. "Think I should bring a souvenir back for Little Josie?" 

Josie gave her husband a questioning look. "Wha' kind of souvenir?" 

"Maybe the arm of an Alliance drone?" 

"I don' think tha's such a grea' idea, sweetie," answered Josie, shaking her head. 

"Phooey," said Leo, pouting. 

Zoe gave a small smile. "I don't think your daughter would like an arm much, anyway," she said. By now, Zoe and Mal knew all about Little Josie. Little Josie would be about eleven now, and she was living with some relative while Josie and Leo were here at war. They had even seen a picture of the little girl. 

Leo smirked. "My little girl would love a souvenir like that." 

Josie reached in her brown coat and pulled out a wrinkled photo, looking at the picture. The picture showed a little girl, about five, with great green eyes and beautiful auburn hair. Leo leant his head on his wife's shoulder to look at the picture, pursing his lips. "I miss 'er," whispered Josie. Leo nodded in agreement. 

An explosion was heard outside, and the moment inside the foxhole was broken. Time for war faces. Leo leapt up, going outside ahead of Mal and Zoe. Josie put the picture back inside her coat as she followed the others. 

Mal gasped and sat up in his bed. He took a deep breath and rubbed his forehead as he looked around, trying to get his bearings. He got out of his bed, shaking his head lightly. He wasn't going to sleep after that dream. That dream. What was it about? It was so real. And in fact, it was real. It had happened in the year 2511, the Battle of Serenity Valley. Why he had dreamed that dream now, Mal hadn't the faintest idea. Since he was now fully awake, he headed off toward the ladder in his room. He might as well go out and check everything now that he was up. 

* * *

At the same time, on the other side of the ship, Jo was lying awake on her bed. Her fingers were linked behind her head as she listened to the silence, hearing nothing but the faint rumbling of the working engine. The girl slipped off her bed and out of the room, focusing all of her efforts and attention on being quiet as she walked past the rooms where others were sleeping. She arrived in the dining room and looked around. Quite a cozy little room, not something one would expect on a thieving ship. Jo looked at the little flowers painted on the walls of the dining room. 

"Hello." Jo jumped from surprise and spun around, her hand going to her boot and pulling out her dagger. She held the dagger up for a moment until she lowered it, seeing the speaker. Mal stood, arms crossed, looking at Jo. Jo put her dagger back in her boot. 

"Wasn't expecting to see you up so early." Jo wasn't about to admit that Mal had scared her. 

"Same to you," Mal mumbled, walking past her. "Actually, I'm glad to get a chance to talk. We need some ground rules." Jo arched an eyebrow, crossing her arms. "Rule number one," Mal began, stopping to turn to her and hold up one finger, "no hurting my crew. Under any circumstances." 

"What if they try to hurt me first?" 

"They won't." 

"Considering that your bodyguard already did try - " 

Mal looked rather annoyed at the girl. "I cleared it up with him. So don't try that as an excuse if you suddenly feel like killing one of my crew." He turned and began walking off. 

Jo, rather annoyed now herself, followed. "You think I would just hurt someone for fun?" she snapped, walking next to Mal. 

"Don't know you well enough to say." 

"Well, you're obviously assuming that I'm my uncle!" Jo retorted, eyes flashing angrily at the Captain. 

Mal couldn't resist. He stopped and turned toward Jo, Jo stopping to meet his angry gaze with her own. "No," Mal corrected, sounding exasperated, "you're worse than Badger! At least I know what to expect with Badger! Badger hates us, this fact has been affirmed! But I don't know what to expect from Badger's niece!" 

"Element of surprise is important in our business, Reynolds! You of all people should know that!" Jo shot back sarcastically. 

"And I don't have to deal with Badger tagging along on my jobs!" added Mal angrily. Mal saw Jo's hand zip inside her coat for something, and Mal followed suit. Before either one of them could blink, each person was staring a revolver in the face. The two people holding the revolvers were both seething. 

"So the truth finally comes out, does it?" snarled Jo. "Badger's the only reason you would ever consider letting me 'tag along'." 

"Why else would I want a rug rat underfoot?" Mal snapped back, glaring at the girl. Both guns cocked in one simultaneous motion. 

"No touching guns." Mal and Jo looked back toward the kitchen to see the person who had just reprimanded them. River stood in the doorway, hands resting on her hips as she looked at the two. "Shooting wakes people up." Jo and Mal sent a glance at each other before looking back at River. Both guns lowered in unison. River gave a satisfied smile before turning and wandering off. 

Mal and Jo put their guns away at the same time. "Does she always do that?" asked Jo. 

"Only when given opportunity," returned Mal. They threw each other another glance before they both walked off their separate ways. 

* * *

Zoe, Mal, and Jayne sat around the dining table, discussing the settlement they were en route to. All three of them looked up when they heard Kaylee's familiar voice. They saw three girls walking down the hallway toward the dining room: Kaylee, jabbering away about something or other; River, looking at Kaylee with a small smile; and Jo, who, for once in a long while, had a sincere smile on her face as she listened to Kaylee. 

"So then 'Nara had to go in and get Zoe and the Cap'n!" continued Kaylee as the three girls entered the dining room. 

"From the train?" Jo asked Kaylee, who nodded with a grin that revealed dimples on the mechanic's cheeks. Jo looked at Mal with a smug smirk. "Is that so?" 

Mal rolled his eyes and pointed to a seat. "Sit," he commanded Jo. Jo sat at a chair at the table, Kaylee sitting across from her and River sitting next to Jo. "No more smart comments, we're talking about the job." 

"Speaking of job: Why in the 'verse would you guys accept a job from Adelai Niska?" 

"Enough!" cut in Mal again, looking over at Jo. Jo held up her hands innocently. Mal turned his focus back to the job at hand. "So we were talking about the settlers." 

"Actually, we were talking about the living settlers," corrected Zoe. Jo glanced over at Zoe. That was one of the few times Jo had heard a comment from Zoe. 

"Right," admitted Mal. He looked over at Jo. "Any idea how to deal with them?" 

"Well, we just have to distract 'em," Jo said as if it was nothing, 

"JUST have to?" asked Mal with a laugh. "Bandits just knocked their town over. You think they'll allow themselves to be stolen from again?" 

"We could use brute force," Jayne suggested with a crooked grin, stealing an apple from a bowl in the center of the table. 

Jo shrugged. "Only if we're as heartless as you." Jayne glared over at her. Jo continued with, "I could juggle." 

Everyone in the room looked at her. 

"What!" asked Jo, holding up her palms in a questioning gesture. 

"You can juggle?" Kaylee asked Jo, looking at her. 

Jo held up a finger. "Badger deals with some interesting folks, and that's all I'm sayin'." 

The apple in Jayne's hand stopped in mid-flight to his mouth. He grabbed another apple from the table and threw them to Jo. "Prove it." 

Jo caught the apples with ease and blinked at Jayne before throwing the apples into the air, guiding the fruit until she was juggling. River watched the fruit, seemingly fascinated. Mal exchanged a glance with his crew members before grabbing an apple from the middle and throwing it wordlessly to Jo. Jo took the hint and lightly added the apple to her juggling trick. Mal crossed his arms. "And how is this going to help us?" 

Jo shrugged, adding into her act an apple that Kaylee had tossed to her. She looked up at the four apples she was now juggling. "Oh, I dunno, Reynolds. It might keep the settlers occupied while you guys steal the cargo. Or at least scope the place out. See, I find that working at night is better when we're dealing with stealing things from right under people's noses." 

"How many living people you think'll be there?" Jayne asked throwing another apple to Jo. Jo merged the apple easily into her juggling act. 

"Depends on the bandits. They could be ruthless and have left few living, or they could have been the 'take-the-stuff-and-run' type, robbing the settlers blind and only killing people who were in their way." Jo took her eyes off her five juggling apples to look at the others in the room. The five were all staring at her. Actually, four were staring at her. River's eyes were swiftly following the apples. Jo shrugged as she juggled. "What!" she said, frowning. 

"How old are you?" asked Zoe casually. Jo looked over at the first mate. 

"Seventeen, why?" Jo answered. Zoe and Mal exchanged a glance, which Jo caught. "I told you! Uncle Badger deals with some - Gorramit, Jayne, stop throwing me apples!" Jo took her sixth apple and juggled that as well. 

Jayne's crooked grin was back. "If I throw you another, will the apples fall on you?" 

"Maybe," Jo answered, glancing at Jayne. Another apple was tossed to her by the big man, Jo easily juggling that one along with the other six. 

"You said they would maybe fall!" protested Jayne. 

"Maybe I lied," Jo said. She took one apple out of her juggling, tossing it over to Kaylee while Jo juggled the others. Kaylee put the apple in the basket on the table, a big grin on her face. "So you guys just tell me when you decide on a plan," Jo said as she threw another apple to Kaylee, lowering her level of apples being juggled down to five. 

"And you'll just go along with that?" Mal asked, sounding surprised. 

Jo shrugged. "Probably not, but you can try anyway." Jo threw another one of the juggling apples to Kaylee. "How long 'till we get to the settlement?" 

"A few weeks." It was Zoe that answered. "That juggling isn't something most seventeen-year-olds have mastered." 

"I've barely - " Jo threw an apple to Kaylee. " - mastered the skill." 

Zoe got a little smirk. "You must hang around your uncle a lot." 

"I used to. Only when I was littler. As soon as I found someone to teach me to fly a ship, I started working for Badger." Jo clammed up as she threw one more apple to Kaylee. Jo mentally kicked herself for spilling all this to people she barely knew. Now that she was just juggling two apples, she caught one apple in each hand before replacing the apples in the basket on the table. 

Kaylee laughed and clapped for Jo, River smiling and joining in the applause. Jo stood and gave a little bow for the two girls, a small smile on her face. Jo nodded to Zoe, Mal, and Jayne before walking out of the dining room with Kaylee and River. 

"The girl knows her stuff," Zoe told Mal. Jayne took an apple from the table and began to eat. 

Mal sighed. "As much as I hate to say this, I agree." 

* * *

"Simon!" Simon stopped in the middle of the hallway to his room, turning with a frown to see who had called him. Jo walked up to Simon and stopped in front of him, looking at Simon. "So what's up with River?" Jo could ask this since she knew River was safely with Kaylee, not listening to this conversation. It had been a while since the trip had started, and Jo had some serious questions. 

Simon frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?" he asked cautiously. 

"She's smart, but she's not all there, doc." Jo tapped her temple with her finger lightly to get her point across. "Since you're her brother, I'll bet my boat that you know what's going on." 

Simon swallowed and shook his head. "Don't know what you're talking about." 

"You're a bad liar, doc," Jo said, putting her hands on her hips. "What, you don't trust me?" 

"Give me a reason to trust you," returned Simon, looking hard at Jo. 

"I'm not my uncle," Jo shot right back, returning Simon's gaze. 

"I never said you were." Simon turned, continuing toward his room. 

Jo gave an exasperated sigh and followed. "Well, it's obvious that everyone on this ship thinks I am." 

"You seem to be enough like him sometimes," Simon said, glancing over at Jo. 

This comment seemed to piss Jo off, though she didn't retaliate. Jo took a deep breath through her nose and looked at Simon as they walked. "I'm not Badger. The biggest thing me and Badger have in common is that we're both thieves, and actually, Badger doesn't have enough courage to do the thieving himself." 

Simon was still unwavering. "So you want me to trust you because you're a thief?" 

"Would River have trusted me so quickly if I was like Badger?" 

Simon stopped and stared at Jo, Jo returning his stare with her own. 

"River's different." Jo had lowered her voice. "No matter what you say, you can't convince me otherwise. She doesn't want to tell me about her past, and she's scared of the infirmary. And when she talked to me . . . she knew things no one could know, things I've never told anyone. I just want to know how she knows these things and what happened to her that she doesn't want to mention." 

Simon was silent for a moment. "You wouldn't stay around Badger for so long if you were so different." It was a long shot, but he wanted an excuse not to tell Jo about River. 

"I don't stay with Badger. I go to Badger because I need jobs. I need jobs because I need money." Jo frowned. "And it isn't like Badger is my father. My parents died when I was eleven, so don't even begin to think my loyalties are with Badger. Even if he was my father, I wouldn't automatically have to be loyal to him." With two fingers, Jo poked Simon's chest to emphasize her point. "Maybe you should get it through your head that all kids aren't exactly like their parents, uncles, or whoever. People make their own choices, doc, not their relatives' choices." 

Simon's mouth moved a few times, words not coming out. He finally closed his mouth and sighed through his nose, looking away. Jo shook her head and walked off toward her bedroom. Simon frowned and went inside his room, closing the door after himself. "You can tell me when you trust me," Jo said quietly to an empty hallway before going into her room and closing the door. 

A few moments later, River glided through the hall. She wordlessly opened Jo's door to see Jo lying awake on her bed, looking up at the ceiling with her fingers linked behind her head. "Not just you." 

Jo looked over at River, slightly surprised to see her there. Jo sat up on her bed, removing her hands from her neck. "What's not me?" 

"Not just you he doesn't trust. Doesn't trust anyone. Can't. Not safe. Doesn't even trust himself." River gave a little smile before closing the door to Jo's room and going off to her own room, leaving a very perplexed Jo all alone. 

"Not right, the people on this ship," whispered Jo to herself, falling back on her bed again and covering her eyes with her hands. 

* * *

A few weeks later, Mal, Zoe, and Jayne stood in the cargo bay of the ship, waiting for Wash to land the ship a ways away from the settlement. The three talked quietly until they heard boots treading down the stairs. All three looked up as Jo jumped over the last step and landed on the floor of the cargo bay. She looked at them as she walked over. "What's the final plan, Reynolds?" she asked, crossing her arms. 

Mal launched into the plan explanation. "We're just going to scope it out now, sneak in to see what's going on with it. We'll hike over there, check it out, see what the goods are, come back tonight, rob 'em blind, come back to the ship, and go on our merry way." 

"No jugglin'?" Jo asked, arching an eyebrow. In truth, she was a bit disappointed. 

Mal shook his head as the door to the air lock opened. The four set off toward the settlement. 

* * *

Jo hopped up across the rocks on the side of the hill they were by and stood on one rock, peeking across the crest of the hill. Indeed, the settlement was down at the bottom of the hill. Quite a small settlement, but that was probably due to the fact that it was new. 

Mal looked up at Jo. "What's the situation?" 

Jo had a frown set deeply on her face. "Something's wrong." 

Mal exchanged a glance with Zoe, leaving Jayne to just look confused. Mal looked up at Jo. "What kind of something?" 

"What would you be doing if your settlement just got hit by bandits?" asked Jo. 

"Trying to get the settlement back on its feet," Zoe answered. 

"No one," Jo said. 

Mal blinked. "What?" 

"There's no one here. Not a one person doin' anything around the settlement." 

Mal was still in the dark as to what she meant, so he hopped up the rocks. Since Jo was smaller than Mal, Jo had made it look pretty easy. Not so easy when Mal's coat got stuck on a rock. He lost his footing, only to flail his arms and have his arm grabbed by Jo. Jo pulled Mal so Mal did a sort of falling motion, hitting his head on a rock before he was finally crouching beside her. "Thanks," Mal muttered, glancing at Jo and rubbing the back of his head. 

"Mm-hmm. Look," Jo said, pointing to the settlement. Mal looked. Jo was right: there was no one. Well, no one living. A few dead bodies were scattered around the streets, but Mal could see no movement. "I'm going to check it out," Jo said. 

"Wait, Jo - " protested Mal, holding up his hand. Too late. Jo had already hopped over some bushes on the hill, and she was now in the process of sliding down the hillside. Mal motioned for Zoe and Jayne, the two making their way up the hillside to join Mal's watching. Jo landed at the bottom of the hill, brushing some dirt from her hillside slide off her body. She turned to look at the three others before turning back and walking toward the settlement. Her hand went inside her coat, bringing out her revolver. She walked cautiously toward the settlement. 

Jo stopped by the first building, pausing only to look around for any sign of life. Seeing none, she continued on. She turned the corner of the building. 

Mal, Zoe, and Jayne watched some force blow Jo backward onto the ground, a large cut now on the unconscious girl's forehead. A man stepped from around the building, a metal pipe in his hands and a corrupt grin on his dirty face. Three other men popped out from behind buildings, pointing guns at the three on top of the hill. Mal, Zoe, and Jayne drew their guns, gunshots erupting from the six people as the fourth bandit was busy picking up Jo's dropped revolver. Mal and his crew soon sunk back under the hill's cover. They waited for a while, all breathing hard. Mal hit Jayne's arm, Jayne sending a glare Mal's way before peeking over the hill. 

"They're gone," reported Jayne gruffly. 

"What?" Zoe and Mal asked in unison. 

"All of 'em," Jayne confirmed. "The four guys must've taken Jo." A crooked grin appeared on Jayne's face. 

"We should find her." It was Mal that had actually made the suggestion. Jayne and Zoe both looked at the captain. Mal looked back at them. "But we should tell the rest of the crew first." He got up and stumbled down the hill, Zoe and Jayne exchanging a look before following Mal. 

* * *

"They took her?" Kaylee's tone was one of excruciating worry as she looked at Mal. 

Mal nodded as he looked at his worried mechanic. The attitude was infectious, the air seemed to feel just as worried. The crew was gathered in the dining room with everyone looking at Mal, the captain standing at the head of the table. Even River was sitting at the table, sitting cross-legged in a seat next to Simon. 

Book was the next one to speak up. "I think we should go find her. I'll come." 

River spoke up as well. "Gotta. Gotta find her. Hurt, but alive. Cell's underneath. Can't just leave her there. I'm helping." 

Simon's eyes widened as he looked at his sister. "River, no, you aren't leaving here." He ignored the glare River sent to him. "You aren't leaving when bandits are still around." 

Jayne looked a little annoyed at the news that Jo was still alive. "Shouldn't we be focusing on the cargo that we were sent here for?" River and Kaylee both glared at Jayne, though Kaylee's glare was quite a pitiful one. 

"No one's leaving," Mal cut in sharply, completely ignoring Jayne. "Me, Zoe, and Jayne will go look for her." His mind was dwelling on River's comment about the cell. Jayne looked annoyed about being roped into the search party. 

Inara looked slightly shocked from her seat near Mal. "You're going to look for her?" she asked in a slightly hushed tone. 

Mal gave her a look. "Yes, we are." Inara's eyebrows raised. 

Wash gave a little laugh, though the crew could tell it was a very nervous one. "Why are we worrying? Maybe it was just a diversion Jo cooked up!" he reasoned. He looked over at Zoe, who Wash couldn't help but thinking about. It normally would have been Zoe going out and doing the venturing. Jo was a tough little girl. Wash looked back at Mal, an unspoken offer to do all that he could to help clearly apparent on his face. 

Mal nodded. "So that's an order: no one is to go outside this ship until we get back with Jo - " 

"And the cargo!" Jayne added roughly as he stood. Zoe stood as well, squeezing her husband's shoulder as she walked over to Mal. 

Mal glanced at Jayne before looking back at the crew. "And possibly the cargo. We should be back soon." With that, the search party headed out. 

* * *

"Aww," Jo groaned, eyes slowly blinking open. Her head was throbbing viciously. She reached up and felt her forehead. A large gash was on her forehead, and needles of pain slashed through her head when it or the area around it was touched. Someone must have hit her hard with something. She propped herself up on her elbows and looked around. It was a large dark cell, a door visible with a small, barred window on the top of the door. Jo looked up. A circular opening was high above her, the same type of rusty metal bars going across the large circle. Jo figured the cell must be underground. She got to her feet and stumbled to the door. Her sense of balance must have been knocked around by her hit on the head. She had to stand on her tip-toes to see out the barred window that was only a small rectangle no bigger than a book. "Hello?" Jo shouted through the bars. 

She heard nothing in reply except a few small animals scurrying through the seemingly endless, winding tunnel that Jo was now looking at. 

Jo groaned and set herself flat down on her feet again, glaring at the door as she held onto the rusty bars. A rock fell down the circular opening above and hit the ground behind her. Jo jumped in surprise, turning and reaching to her boot instinctively for her dagger. Damn! Her dagger was gone! Somebody had taken her dagger! She glared upwards to see where the rock had come from. Her eyes widened when she saw a familiar face. "Reynolds?" she asked incredulously. 

"Nice goin', kid, you got kidnapped," replied Mal, resting his hands on the bars of the opening as he looked down at Jo. 

"Thanks for the news," Jo called back up, going over so she was directly under the circular window. "Did you get the cargo?" 

Mal blinked. "Cargo?" His reaction sounded as incredulous as Jo's initial reaction to him. 

"Yeah. Y'know, the cargo the from the settlement?" 

"You got kidnapped!" 

"Yes, I'm aware of that! But maybe this was just a distraction so you guys could get the cargo!" Even Jo knew that sounded stupid. 

"Oh, so you got kidnapped intentionally?" Mal asked, feigning belief in the ridiculous statement. 

Jo glared up at him. "How about you stop playin' smart-ass and go get the cargo, Reynolds?" 

"Oh, yeah, wouldn't want to waste your great distraction." Mal dodged a rock that was hurled at his head. 

"Get away from my holding cell!" protested Jo. 

Mal looked down the hole again. Jo's arm was poised to throw another rock. Mal held a hand up to stop her. "You know where the entrance to the place is?" asked Mal. 

Jo pointed to the large gash on her head. "What do you think?" 

"We'll find it eventually," Mal said before disappearing from Jo's view. 

"Hey!" protested Jo, looking up. She threw the rock in her hand. "Don't leave me! Bring me a gun! And get the cargo!" she shouted up at the hole. She groaned in an exasperated manner before going to the door. She called out the bars a few more times before sighing and turning around. She leant back against the door, sliding down so she was sitting on the ground. She hugged her knees and looked up through the circle opening far above. 

* * *

"Vic!" Jo's eyes snapped open. She must have fallen asleep. She looked up at the window in the door where the voice had just come from. The voice spoke again, saying, "Vic, the girl's gone!" 

Jo hugged her knees closer to her to try and get some snips of conversation from the bandits. 

Another voice, probably Vic, could be heard saying, "What?! You're kiddin', right?" 

"Vic, she's gone! I don't see her!" 

Jo reached over and grasped a rock, hurling it upwards. She heard one of the men yell, and Jo jumped up. She saw one man holding his eye. 

"Why, you!" the man with the hurt eye yelled, reaching his hand inside the cell and groping around for Jo. Jo stepped back out of his reach. Some other men that stood outside the cell pulled the man back. The first man's eye was puffy. They looked like bandits: dirty clothes, guns strapped to their belts, and rather unhappy looks on their faces. 

Jo gave a smirk and waved. "Hello, boys," she said. 

"How's your head, darling?" the one called Vic asked, giving Jo a sarcastic smile that contained a few missing teeth. 

"Bleeding," answered Jo sweetly. Her eyes stayed locked on Vic's face, though she saw something out of the corner of her eye. A waving gun from around a corner. Mal. Jo kept her gaze fixed on Vic. "But I was bored when you guys didn't come." She kicked the wall, her combat boot causing a few rocks to fall from the walls of the cell. She picked up two rocks and threw one in the air, getting the other one going until she was juggling the two rocks. "Throw me another rock," she told the bandits. 

The bandits stared at her. Jo could tell these four were more brawn than brains. One of the bandits picked up a rock and threw it through the bars at her. Jo ducked her head as the rock whizzed past her hair. 

"Gorramit, why don't you make your aim a little WORSE?" Jo shot sarcastically. The bandits looked at each other hesitantly before one of them opened the door a little. The other three had their hands on their guns. The one who had opened the door, the one whose eye was still hurt, picked up a rock and tossed it lightly to Jo. Jo swiftly incorporated the rock into her juggling act, now juggling three rocks. She juggled them for a while before she said, "One more rock!" 

The bandits guffawed, and one of them threw one more rock to Jo. They were fully engrossed in Jo's act now, standing in the open doorway of the jail cell. They were all four blocking the doorway, so there was no way Jo could make an escape attempt, though none of the bandits' hands were on their guns anymore. Jo juggled for a while more, humming some music to keep the attention on her. "One last time!" 

A gun flew over the heads of the bandits, Jo dropping the rocks she juggled so she could grab the gun. The bandits blinked, looking like deer in headlights. Jo fired a few shots while the bandits scrambled for their weapons. Three of the men went down, though one got his gun and fired a shot at Jo. Jo gritted her teeth as she moved, the bullet still grazing her arm. She popped one last shot out, the last man going down. 

Jo lowered her gun to see Mal, Zoe, and Jayne standing in the tunnel. Mal's arms were crossed, and all three of them were looking at her. Jo had to look at Mal and admit, "Nice throw." She threw the gun back to him. 

Mal caught the gun and replied, "Nice shots. You've killed people before?" 

Jo searched the four bodies on the ground until she found her own weapons. "Wanna talk semantics?" she asked, replacing her guns in her coat and her dagger in her boot. 

"Nevermind," returned Mal. 

"Then let's go get some cargo," Jo said, walking past the three. Zoe and Jayne looked at Mal, Mal shrugging and walking off after Jo. Jayne and Zoe followed. 

* * *

Jo, Mal, Jayne, and Zoe had gotten back to the ship a while ago. They had gotten the mule from the ship and gathered up quite a load of cargo. As it was, the bandits had stayed to slaughter all the settlers and keep everything for themselves, form a little bandit settlement. They probably would have gotten away with it if it weren't for that meddling kid and her juggling. 

When the four got back with the cargo, the crew proceeded to have a little party in the dining room after the ship was on its way back to Persephone. Simon was one of the last to leave the dining room, leaving only the youngest crew members sitting in the dining room. Jo was laying in one of the comfy chairs, Kaylee sitting in one beside her while River sat at a chair by the dining table. Kaylee grinned over at Jo. "Tell it again." 

"Kaaay-leee," Jo groaned. "I don't wanna tell it again." 

"Just tell the part about the juggling!" persisted Kaylee. 

"I've already told that part four times!" returned Jo. River smiled a bit from her chair. 

Kaylee pouted but shrugged. "You know, Cap'n came and told us after you got taken." 

Jo looked surprised. "Did he, now?" 

Kaylee nodded. "Yep. Told us that bandits got you and that he and Zoe and Jayne were gonna got get you." 

River spoke up, saying, "Told us we couldn't come. We wanted to. Captain said it wasn't safe." 

Jo's face was hard to read. Her expression was one that said she was touched that the girls wanted to help in the search, but relief was also apparent there. "I'm glad you didn't come." 

Kaylee and River both looked at Jo. "What?" asked Kaylee. 

Jo shook her head. "Are you guys crazy?" 

Outside the dining room, Simon stopped on his way back in. He sunk back behind the door frame so he could listen to this conversation. 

In the dining room, Jo continued. "These guys were bandits. I'll bet you my ship that they were only keeping me around so they could find out where my ship was. If they would have known that, they would have killed me, I know it! If you guys would have come to help, what makes you think that they wouldn't have kidnapped or killed you? I'm glad you didn't come, because Reynolds was right. It wasn't safe out there, no way. I don't want you guys getting hurt. Hell, I don't want anyone on this crew getting hurt." Kaylee and River were silent. 

Outside, Simon leant against the wall and thought about this. So that was the truth. That was how Jo really felt. He was silent for a while before he walked into the dining room and looked at Jo. Jo looked back at Simon and waved slightly. Simon looked at the gash on Jo's forehead and the cut on her arm. "Jo, come down to the infirmary. I want to patch up your head and arm." 

Jo frowned. "Doc, I don't need patching up . . ." 

Kaylee intervened. "No, Jo, you should go. Your head looks bad. Come on, River, we should get to bed anyway. Night!" Kaylee bid with a grin before going off to her room. 

River, Simon, and a very reluctant Jo headed off downstairs, River making a detour to her room as Jo followed Simon into the infirmary. 

* * *

Jo blinked in pain as the ship's doctor put a bandage over the large cut on her forehead. Jo wasn't exactly used to other people treating her wounds for her. "Doc, I'm fine," she assured Simon as Simon went for the skin graze on her arm. She pulled her arm away from Simon's doctor grasp and felt the bandage on her forehead. She had to admit it, Simon did good work. "Really, doc, I'm okay. I've had worse." 

"You've had worse?" repeated Simon, looking at Jo. 

"My uncle shot my foot once. Never did find out if that one was an accident." 

That made Simon smile slightly. He could easily picture Badger shooting a niece of his in the foot. He examined Jo's eyes to check if she had a concussion, the two staying silent for a moment. "River is a genius," Simon said after a while. 

Jo looked up at the doctor. "What?" 

"She's a . . . genius. And when she was fourteen, we heard about an academy." Simon stepped back from Jo to cross his arms and lean back against the counter opposite Jo. "She wanted to go there. We were reluctant, I mean, my family hadn't even heard of this place." He looked up at Jo to gauge her reaction. 

Jo nodded. "Go ahead," she assured him. 

Simon continued, "But River chose there, and we thought she should be able to go where she wanted. We sent her there. At first, you know, she was good at keeping in touch with us, but . . ." Simon sighed. "It stopped. For so long, we didn't get word from her." He was silent for a moment, as if hesitant to go on. 

"Go on, doc," Jo urged gently. 

Simon glanced at Jo. "Then she sent me a letter that made . . . no sense. Turns out, it was a code. She said they were hurting her. That she wanted out. So after a while, I finally managed to break her out of the academy." 

"Wait, hurting her?" asked Jo, listening intently to the story. 

Simon nodded. "Yes. They were . . . playing with her brain. So we eventually found this ship." Simon laid his hand affectionately on the counter he was leaning on. "Serenity. We found our home here. And River likes it . . . She likes it all except this room." 

"I've noticed," Jo said with a nod. 

"This is where I've tried to help her. I've tried to give her treatment. It seemed to help a little. She's more lucid than she was at first. But I think they just . . . they damaged her brain too much. Now I'm afraid she'll never be the same. And now we're on the run from the Alliance, which is why we are overly cautious about sharing our story." 

Jo hopped off the infirmary table and looked at Simon. "You're a smart guy, Simon." Simon looked up at the first time Jo called him by his name. "Your sister's smart, too. She'll get better. It all will." 

Simon gave Jo a little smile as he stood. "We should get to bed. I'm sure everyone will want to hear more about your adventures tomorrow." 

Jo smirked as she and Simon walked out of the infirmary. They looked up to see Mal coming down the stairs by them. Simon looked at Jo. "You sure you're okay?" he asked. Mal walked over and sat on the couch in the common room. 

"I'm fine, Simon. Promise," Jo assured the doctor. She gave him a light shove before leaning against the doorframe of the infirmary. 

Simon gave a smile and walked toward his room. He stopped and turned back to Jo. "We're all glad you're back, Jo," he said. He turned back and went inside his room. 

Jo watched Simon before shaking her head. "Everyone on this boat's gettin' way too gorram emotional for me," she told Mal without looking over at him. 

Mal chuckled. "I feel the same way." 

Jo smiled softly, looking over at Mal. "But I think I'll jump on the bandwagon for a minute. Never got a chance to thank you for helping me outta there." 

Mal thought about this. "Well, my crew likes you. Most of them, anyway. Figure you can't be all bad." 

"Glad you finally noticed," said Jo before she started off toward her room. 

"Is your real name Josephine?" Mal asked after her. Jo stopped in her tracks and was silent for a moment before she turned to look at Mal. Her skin was slightly pale. 

"What?" Jo asked in a slightly shaky voice. 

"You were named after your mom, weren't you?" Mal continued. Jo stayed silent. Mal looked at her. "Do you know why you went to live with Badger?" 

Jo slowly made her way over to a chair, sitting down. She shook her head. "They left. They just said they needed to go help with something . . ." She shook her head. "But I'm beginning to think everyone on this boat can read my mind . . ." 

Mal nodded. "They fought in the war." Jo looked at Mal. "The Unification War, to be exact. They were Independents, Browncoats." He was quiet to let Jo absorb this information. "They fought next to me and Zoe." 

"How long have you known?" asked Jo. 

"Zoe and me recognized you from a picture your parents used to show us." 

Jo pulled her knees to her and hugged them close, finding this all hard to grasp. "A picture?" Mal nodded. "Listen, I want to know something." 

"Name it." 

"What happened to them?" Mal looked at Jo. Jo looked back at him. "I want to know how they died. All I was told was that they were in some kind of explosion. No one told me a gorram thing other than that." 

Mal looked down before looking up to meet Jo's stern gaze. He sighed. "They went to see if they could ambush some Alliance, all by themselves. Zoe and I tried to protest, but you must've gotten your stubbornness from your parents." Jo didn't smile, which she would have if that comment would have been said in any other situation. Mal shook his head. "They didn't make it very far before they were hit with a grenade." 

Jo shook her head, looking down. A silence fell over the two for a while. "I've lived with my uncle for eleven years. Ever since my parents left. I never did get why they would just leave me. Life with Badger wasn't bad. I mean, it wasn't good, but it wasn't too bad. I became a thief when I was about eight. After I turned eight, Badger decided I could fend for myself. Hell, I knew I was capable. I didn't do jobs for him, though. I just did little thieving, breaking into houses to steal money. Petty stuff." Jo looked up at Mal to see how he was taking this. 

Mal gave a small nod, signaling that Jo should go on. 

Jo looked down as she continued. "When I was eleven, I got word that my parents were dead. So I decided it was time to go on my own. I pulled one of Badger's clients aside, asked the guy to teach me how to fly a ship. No way this guy was going to teach me. So I offered to pay him. Then he was in. Taught me the basics of flying a ship. So I found a ship, use it to do my jobs and to live in. Now I only come to Badger to do jobs. I go other places for jobs, too. But that's my life. Glamorous, huh?" Jo gave a sad little smile. 

Mal was silent before he asked, "Why isn't your name Josie? That was what your mom liked to be called." 

Jo gave another small smile. "I used to be called Josie. Badger still calls me Josie sometimes when no one else's around. I've threatened to take his life if he ever called me Josie when we were around anyone else." 

"Why?" 

Jo laughed a bit. "It was hard enough to get someone to hire an eleven-year-old for a job. Add the name Josie to my credit, and I would have ended up on the streets. Jo sounds better in our line of work. And it's stuck ever since." 

Understanding, Mal nodded, a small smile on his face. "I believe you." Another few moments of silence passed before Jo let go of her legs and stood from the chair. She crossed her arms. 

"Um, I'm going to go to bed . . . Listen . . . thanks for telling me . . . Mal." Mal looked up at Jo, who gave him a small smile before turning and heading off toward her room. She closed the door when she was inside her room, listening to Mal go upstairs toward his own bunk. When Jo was sure no one was around, she leant back against her door and let herself slide down until she was sitting on the floor. She closed her eyes and hugged her knees, burying her face in her knees and letting tears roll silently out of her eyes. 

In the room across the hall, River's ear was against the door of her room. She could hear the silent tears in Jo's eyes. 

* * *

Jo covered a yawn with her hand as she walked into the common room. Kaylee and River looked up from their seats on the couch and smiled. Jo waved. "Hi," she said, looking around. "Man, I must've slept late," she said, sinking down into the chair by the couch. 

Kaylee nodded. "Yeah, you must've been tired." 

Jo nodded. "It was a wild day." Jo felt that it was better she didn't mention the fact that she had cried herself to sleep the previous night after her and Mal's little talk. 

An understanding noise was heard from Kaylee, her head nodding. "I bet." 

River got up from the couch, as if a thought had struck her, and rushed inside her room. Kaylee and Jo exchanged a questioning glance. River stepped back out of her room, holding three apples. She held them out to Jo. Jo blinked. "Teach me to juggle, please," requested River. 

Jo looked at River then at the apples before nodding. "Um, I've never taught anyone before . . . And it's not like you can just learn in a day. It took me a few weeks, maybe more." She took two apples from River and bit her lip, trying to remember how the man that had taught her had put it. It had been so long since she had learned, nearly four years. It had just come naturally after she got it down. "Um, okay," she said, sitting on the edge of the chair. River sat cross-legged on the couch, both her and Kaylee watching Jo. "Well, it's good to start with just one apple." Jo set one apple down and tossed one apple back and forth in her hands. "Then you need to take the other apple and just toss them back and forth," she continued, demonstrating. 

River shook her head. "Just show us," she said, nodding. Jo exchanged a glance with Kaylee, who shrugged. After a shrug from Jo, three apples were being juggled. River grinned, eyes following the apples. She held out her hands after a while of watching. "I'll try now." 

Jo had to catch the apples to keep from dropping them on her head. "Try? River, you've just been watching me - " 

"I'll try now," River insisted again. Jo looked at River before throwing the apples to her. River caught the apples and began the juggling, the apples flying through her hands swiftly. Kaylee's eyes got a little wide. Jo's mouth fell open. River grinned and caught all the apples after a minute of juggling. "Gotta show Simon," she said, slipping off her seat and running up the stairs. 

Jo looked at Kaylee, pointing up the stairs after River. "How . . ." She let her hand drop to her side. "She really is a genius." 

Kaylee nodded. "Yeah, she is." 

* * *

A few days later, Inara and Kaylee laughed at Kaylee's joke, Inara sipping her tea. Kaylee shook her head. "But then the guy just walked away!" 

"Walked away?" asked Inara with an amused grin. 

Kaylee nodded. "Walked away! Just turned around and walked off!" 

Before Inara could add something else, River and Jo walked into the dining room where Inara and Kaylee sat. Inara looked at Jo and Jo's hair, hair that still contained dirt from the kidnapping. Inara gave a small laugh. "Jo, honey, your hair is absolutely dreadful." 

Jo looked at Inara and blinked. She grabbed a few strands of her own hair and looked at it. "It's not that bad . . ." she said, looking at the auburn color of her hair that was darkened by dirt. 

Inara shook her head, putting her teacup away and going over to Jo. "Come on, let's see if we can do something with it, okay?" she asked, leading Jo toward Inara's shuttle. 

"I'm coming, too!" Kaylee said with a grin, hurrying after the two girls. River glided after the three. 

* * *

The four girls laughed after Jo's comment. "No, I'm completely serious, I couldn't understand a word they were saying! They didn't speak English OR Chinese!" 

"And how many of them were on your ship?" asked Kaylee, grinning. River was smiling quietly as she listened to Jo tell her story. 

"Fourteen on my little ship! All related and babblin' like I can't describe! Never did figure out what language they were speaking . . ." Jo sat in front of Inara, Inara brushing Jo's hair. Not something Jo was used to, that's for sure. "Okay, so I finally got them to their planet, but the head of the clan would not let me leave!" 

"Why not?" Inara asked. 

"Well, I had no clue until I found someone who spoke English. He translated for the people, relayed back to me that they had mistaken me for one of the relatives. The guy straightened it out, told the clan leader that I wasn't a relative. And the people still wouldn't let me leave!" 

"Still?" Kaylee asked. 

"Still!" confirmed Jo. "I asked the translator guy, and he told me why I couldn't go: The clan leader wanted me to marry one of his sons!" 

"Oh, my gosh!" Inara said as she, Kaylee, and River laughed. Inara started braiding Jo's hair, Jo not noticing. The girl was so into telling her story that she didn't notice what was happening with her hair. 

"Yeah! Said that I was one of the first people not related to them to visit in so long, they wanted me to marry one of the boys!" 

"What'd you say to get out of it?" asked Kaylee. 

"At first, I tried just refusing," said Jo, laughing slightly. "But they were not taking no for an answer. So eventually I had to get out my gun to get the pay for the transport and get out of there." Jo buried her head in her hands as she laughed. "Oh, it was a disaster." 

Kaylee was laughing so hard that she was almost crying. "Oh, Jo, that must have been so weird!" 

Jo nodded and removed her smiling face from her hands. "Oh, you have no idea, Kaylee." 

Inara leant a little closer to the girls and dropped her voice. "But was the guy good looking, Jo?" 

A smirk was on Jo's face as she looked at Inara then at Kaylee and River. "Well . . . maybe just a little," she admitted. Kaylee giggled, and Inara and River grinned. Jo shook her head. "But he didn't even speak English, and I'm a gorram thief! It never would have worked out," she said with a small smile. 

Inara finished Jo's braid and let her go. "There you go," she told Jo with a smile. 

Jo looked a little lost until she felt her hair. She blinked before smiling. "A braid? Wow, I haven't had a braid since my mom was around . . . Thanks, Inara," she said sincerely, looking around at Inara and nodding. 

Inara nodded, she and Jo standing up. "No problem," she said with a smile. Jo smiled again before walking out of Inara's shuttle with Kaylee and River. 

* * *

"Hello, Wash." 

Wash had his hands linked behind his head and his feet crossed up on the controls, carefully avoiding vital buttons and dials that could cause something fiery and unwanted to happen. He looked over to see Jo walking into the bridge. "Hi, Jo. Hey, can I call you Joey?" 

Jo looked over at Wash as she sat herself down in the co-pilot's chair. "Um, if you want . . . Uncle Badger calls me that." 

"Nevermind then," said Wash cheerily, removing his hands from his head and his feet from the controls. He looked at Jo. "Did you change your hair?" 

Jo shook her head. "Inara changed it," she said, fingering the braid on the back of her head. 

"Oh," Wash said, nodding. He looked over to Jo, who was looking at the controls of the ship. "Ever driven a Firefly before?" 

A little laugh came from Jo. "Never." 

Wash clasped his hands together and looked ahead of him. He couldn't get Jo's kidnapping out of his mind, how Zoe would have been the one being kidnapped if Jo wasn't there. "Want to try?" 

Jo jumped slightly with surprise and looked over at Wash. "Are you joking?" 

Wash shook his head. "Nope. Go ahead, take the controls." 

Jo gaped at Wash before swallowing and looking at the controls. She nodded and hesitantly took the controls, guiding the ship. They were silent a while before Jo glanced over at Wash. "You gonna teach your kid to drive this thing?" 

"If we have a kid," said Wash, linking his hands behind his head and putting his feet up on the controls again. 

"If?" Jo asked, arching an eyebrow. 

Jo caught a little sigh from Wash. Wash shook his head. "Zoe wants a kid, but I'm not sure . . ." 

"Why not?" Jo asked, flipping a switch above her before looking back at Wash. "You afraid you wouldn't be a good dad?" 

"I'm a thief. It wouldn't exactly be a normal life for a kid." 

"And Zoe's a war goddess, but you don't see her hesitating. You and Zoe would make great parents. And it's not like the kid wouldn't have a bigger family than just you and Zoe. The crew would all help, and this ship is a great place to raise a kid." 

Wash looked at Jo, straightening his back a little. "You really think so?" 

"I know so," confirmed Jo. "You guys would be great parents, trust me. I'm sure a kid would love it growing up on this ship. You're funny, and Zoe's smart. You could teach the kid to fly a ship, and Zoe could teach the kid to fight. It would be a great life." 

Wash mulled this over before asking Jo, "What were your parents like?" 

A tough question for Jo, Wash could tell. Jo was silent as she flipped another switch. "Honestly, I don't remember." She gave a sad little laugh. "Isn't that horrible?" Jo shook her head. "I mean, I guess I remember parts, but they're mostly fleeting details, only bits and pieces. I just remember them being . . . great. They used to tell me stories about when they were kids. They used to tell me stories about . . . anything. I remember Dad being funny. He had your kind of humor, make a laugh out of things to lighten the mood." Jo sighed. "I remember them leaving . . . . But Wash, I grew up a thief. If you think that's a bad life for a kid, you're wrong. I mean, there are better lives, but you meet some pretty interesting people when you're a thief. How do you think I learned how to juggle?" she asked with a smirk over at Wash. 

Wash laughed and looked ahead of him. "Hey, we're going to be coming up on Persephone soon." 

The news hit Jo like a ton of bricks. "Persephone?" The synapses in her brain tried to connect the information with some piece of information that was familiar to her. Badger. "I gotta go. Take the controls," Jo said, standing and walking off the bridge. Going back to Badger? Saying good-bye? Jo wondered how much she would have to pay Mal before he let her stay on Serenity. No! No, Jo had a job to do. She had a job to do on her own. She couldn't stay here, it wasn't her place. It wasn't her crew. Jo sighed and shook her head as she headed to her room to gather up her things. 

* * *

And at last, Serenity landed down on the Eavesdown Docks of Persephone. The trip back, or so it seemed to Jo, had lasted much shorter than the trip to the settlement. Wash made his way down to the cargo bay where everyone was gathered already. Jayne was sitting on the mule, cargo attached to it and ready to take to Badger. Kaylee was hugging Jo, Jo smiling a bit sadly and hugging Kaylee back. Jo nodded. "Okay, Kaylee, don't get sad on me now. Take good care of this ship. And keep bein' happy, okay?" she said. 

Kaylee gave a laugh and gave Jo another squeeze before letting the girl go. "Visit!" she told Jo. "Keep in touch!" 

"I will, Kaylee." Jo turned to the next person she had to say goodbye to, River. She gave River a hug, and River hugged her back. As Jo let her friend out of the hug, Jo said, "River, take care of your brother." 

River looked over at Simon, both of them giving a small smile. River looked back at Jo. "I do," she said. "Trust people," River told Jo. "Trust is good." 

Jo gave a little smile and nodded. "I know, River." She turned around, now facing Book. Jo extended a hand, the Shepherd giving her a handshake. "Shepherd, keep . . . bein' Shepherdly." 

Book gave a small smirk. "Been quite a trip." 

A small laugh was uttered by Jo. "That it has, Shepherd, that it has." She let go of Book's hand and turned around to see Inara. "'Nara," she said. "Keep bein' the ship's conscience. And keep . . . Companioning," she finished. 

Inara smiled. "Oh, come here," she said, hugging Jo. Jo laughed a bit, hugging Inara back before they both let go. Inara told Jo, "Don't be a stranger. You're always welcome." 

"Thanks, Inara," said Jo softly. She looked around to see Wash. She smiled. "Wash . . . stop being scared of stuff. Take a chance once in a while." 

Wash rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah," he said, ruffling Jo's hair. "Hey, I never got a chance to ask you: Why don't you talk like Badger?" 

Jo grinned. "Well, i's an acquired thing, the no' talkin' like I was brough' up to talk," she said with Badger's accent. She waited a moment before dropping the accent. "But how many people do you know with that accent? It associated me with him." 

Wash nodded. "Okay, thanks for not doing it too long," he said nervously. Jo smirked and turned around to Simon. She smiled slightly. 

"Doc." Then Jo thought better. "Simon." Simon looked at her. "You're still smart. Just keep fixing everyone. It'll all turn out okay." 

Simon nodded and extended his hand, Jo giving him a handshake. "Stay out of trouble, Jo," Simon told her. Jo nodded and let go of Simon's hand as she looked over. Jayne's turn. 

"Jayne," Jo said with an inclination of her head. "Bye." 

"Yeah, same to you," grumbled Jayne. 

Jo looked at Zoe and smiled. "Zoe . . . keep Mal in line. Make sure Wash doesn't get too scared of stuff." 

"Hey!" protested Wash. 

Zoe ignored her husband's comment and looked at Jo. "Don't let your uncle push you around," she told Jo. Jo nodded. 

"Don't worry about that, believe me." She smiled and looked around at her last person to say goodbye to: Mal. She sighed softly and looked at the ground as she stepped over to him. She looked up at Mal. "Take care of your crew, Mal." She swept another look over the crew of Serenity before looking back at Mal. "They deserve it." 

Mal looked at Jo before extending a hand. Jo smiled and shook his hand, nodding. "Watch your back, kid. Something tells me this isn't the last time we'll be meeting." 

"Something tells me you should leave the psychic stuff up to River," Jo retorted, letting go of Mal's hand and picking up her bag from the floor. She swung her bag over her shoulder as the hatch opened to the outside. She waved at everyone before heading out, Mal and Zoe following her, Jayne coming out on the mule. The rest of the crew looked out after them, Jo turning and waving at them one last time before the ship closed up. Jo sighed. She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Mal, who looked a bit sad as he smiled. Jo nodded and walked next to Mal toward Badger's den. 

* * *

Jo caught in one hand the bag of money that had been thrown at her. She stood next to Mal, Zoe and Jayne standing behind the two. Jo opened the bag and took out some of the money before handing the rest of the money to Mal and putting her money in her pocket. 

Mal took the money bag, frowning at Jo. Jo looked at him and gave him an affirming nod, signaling that he should take the money. 

Badger watched the two with a suspicious look. "Your 'ead looks like 'ell," he told his niece. 

Jo looked at her uncle and stuck out her tongue. 

Mal smirked. "Well, if we're done here, we'll be going." He looked at Jo. "Bye, Josie," he told her quietly. Badger caught the remark, and his eyebrows went up. Jo smiled and waved at the three as they left. She looked back at Badger, who had a very accusing look on his face. 

Jo walked over to Badger and took his hat off his head, leaning back against the desk so she could look at him and put his hat on her own head. She smirked. "Don't give me that look." 

The End 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title:   **Relativity**   
Author:   **FightOn4God**   
Details:   **Standalone**  |  **PG-13**  |  **gen**  |  **75k**  |  **07/31/05**   
Characters:  Malcolm, Zoe, Wash, Kaylee, Inara, Jayne, Simon, River, Book, Other \- Jo (my OC) and Badger, plus some bandits   
Summary:  When Mal and crew get an unwanted partner in crime, some things don't go as planned.   
Notes:  Rated PG-13 for mild violence and language.   
  



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